Mandurah: Carpenters show has only just begun

Her music and that of her brother Richard made up one of the most influential folk/pop acts of the 20th century and the memories have not faded over the years.

Johnny Young, one of the country’s biggest pop stars in the 1960s and host of the long-running Young Talent Time, has introduced undiscovered and talented performers such as Tina Arena and Danni Minogue during his career.

But when he heard Australian singing sensation Narelle Belle singing a Carpenter song as it was originally sung, he was thrilled.

He booked her for one show in Perth – An Evening with Karen Carpenter – which showcased Belle’s extraordinary talents and broke all records with seven sell-out shows.

This weekend it comes to Mandurah.

Young said it would be a magical night of music and memories, with Belle and her seven-piece band featuring the songs that made Carpenter famous: We’ve Only Just Begun, Rainy Days and Monday, Top of the World and Close to You, to name a few.

Belle talks and sings her way through Carpenter’s short life: she was just 32 when she died from anorexia in 1983.

“Belle is a multi-skilled performer who completely captures the essence of Carpenter,” Young said.